724.3415/4128: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Bolivia (Des Fortes)
22. Your 60, September 15, noon. With reference to the hope expressed by Dr. Alvesteguí as reported in the last paragraph of your cable, you should make it immediately clear to the Minister for Foreign Affairs that this Government would not accept membership on any Committee appointed by the League to deal with the Chaco problem. It is understood that the views of the Brazilian Government on this point are identical to those of the United States. The friendly and cooperative attitude of the United States towards the activities of the League in dealing with the Chaco problem has been made evident throughout the past year and notably during the course of the Montevideo Conference. During the past 6 months, however, the League suspended all active endeavors to promote peace in the Chaco and it was for that reason that the United States and Brazil actively supported the initiative taken by Argentina in order that the moral influence of this Government might as always continue to be exerted strongly on behalf of peace on the American Continent. Under these conditions, in view of the fact that the present negotiations had reached a point where there appeared to be a hopeful sign of a favorable outcome, this Government is not willing to consider that the present negotiations can be terminated unless the Governments of Bolivia and Paraguay so desire.
While in no sense desiring to disparage or to minimize the activities of the League, the Government of the United States believes that under present conditions a peaceful solution of the Chaco dispute may more readily be obtained through the cooperation of some or all of the American Republics.
With reference to the second paragraph of your cable, this Government has received no information whatever which would lead it to believe that the Argentine Government has made the statement quoted by you. On the contrary, the American Ambassador in Rio de Janeiro cables that Dr. Saavedra Lamas has informed the Brazilian Government as follows:
“As the problem is not ripe for solution a pause is essential. Otherwise failure will result. It was therefore desirable to take advantage of the meeting of the Assembly of the League. For this reason Cantilo stated that the matter was now in the hands of the League. Time having been gained in this way, it is desirable not to abandon the common front of the tri-partite mediation. It is felt that the League will find the Argentine proposals so sensible that no improvement can [Page 211] be suggested and it is believed that the League will take no initiative along different lines.”41
It is apparent that a moment has been reached when the exercise of the greatest possible amount of patience and tact by all of the powers taking part in the present negotiations is all-important. Public statements which may be made reflecting upon the discretion or good faith of any officials taking part in the negotiations or of their Governments must necessarily prove prejudicial to the great common objective which is to find at the earliest possible moment the way towards peace.
Please convey the above orally and not in writing to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. You should conclude by stating that for the objects and within the limitations set forth above, the Government of the United States will be glad to continue in the mediation negotiations as it has in the past and that it will be happy to receive at the earliest moment an expression of the views of the Bolivian Government.
- For Cantilo’s statements to the League, see Republica de Argentina, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Quito, Memoria presentada al Congreso, 1984–1985 (Buenos Aires, 1935), pp. 37–41.↩